THE MARINI FAMILY

WELCOME TO THE CRAZINESS OF OUR LIFE WITH TWO BOYS!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Group Therapy

My girlfriend Kristin is getting married in two weeks and this weekend we headed for Tahoe for a Bachelorette weekend. It was the most relaxing, fun, entertaining, and educational weekend.

On Friday night when we arrived, within five minutes I had a cocktail in my hand and that is pretty much how the rest of the weekend played out. We had a great dinner, sat around talking, played some games, and stayed up late talking. The next morning when we all got up, we just vegged out reading, drinking coffee, and talking about whatever major story was on the cover of People or UsWeekly. I did not get off the couch but to refill my drink and grab snacks. We made ourselves feel productive by going to the outlets for a while, but then came right back home to again pick up our cocktails and conversation. Saturday night we headed to the casino for maybe an hour or two to at least tell our spouses that we did something other than live in our jammies at the cabin. Again, with cocktail in hand and the hottest damn dinner I have ever eaten (thanks Kristin), we cozied up on the couch and talked until about 3:00am.

Back to my title of the post---Group Therapy. I don't think many men would understand how twelve woman can come together for a single weekend and pretty much talk as if they have known each other for years. There was not one topic we didn't discuss--in incredible detail--all weekend. For myself and my friend Lynn, we came in not knowing most of the girls, but clearly that did not matter. We talked about EVERYTHING! We started laughing toward the end of the weekend that at the wedding, we will be introduced to each others husbands and they will have no clue all of the stuff we now know about them...that's our little secret.

What was my favorite thing about the weekend was that most of us were mothers and even though we missed our families, it was fabulous to just sit around and do nothing and have no responsibilities for anybody other than ourselves. Breakfast, lunch and dinner was made whenever we got to it. We could sit and read an entire magazine without interruption. Napping was not only possible, it was frowned upon if you didn't try. There were no plans, no schedule, no responsibilities. It was perfect.

So as we were packing up today, we realized this can't be a one time thing. This experience begs to be a repeat affair. We will just all have to put on our thinking caps to find a creative reason to show up at the same time next year!

I will post all APPROPRIATE pictures at a later date.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Beat the Heat

I wrote this a week ago, but did not post it simply because Rich had the camera's memory card and was apparently holding it hostage....

When it turned over 100 this weekend, we did the only thing we could do to beat the heat....get the heck out of town. It was either that, or melt. I hate the heat. I hate being hot. I hate the feeling of being sweaty and dirty. This is why I will relocate to the coast as soon as it is monetarily available....can anyone say "marine layer"?.


To be honest, do you know what sent me over the edge? Matthew's soccer game. It was miserable, and it was only 8:30 in the morning. MISERABLE!!!! As we stood observing the game, not moving...mind you, just observing, we all were sweating like crazy. I felt like the witch on Wizard of Oz that melts when she comes in contact with water. I think part of my DNA is still on the soccer field. And Ryan wanted to be held the entire time. He was complaining that he wanted to leave and go home, I simply told him to join the club. Patience gone, sweat consuming every inch of my body, I gave in and took Ryan home. Did I mention that he wanted to be carried the entire way? And that when I put him down, he wrapped his body around my leg and I proceeded to drag him a little bit until a car drove by. Fearing a call to authorities, I picked him up and finished the walk with him on my hip. The highlight of this whole morning was when Rich and Matt decided not to come immediately home and let us into the house, they went to a garage sale instead. Let's just say when Rich and Matt pulled up in my nicely air conditioned car fifteen minutes after the game had ended, I had a few choice words for both of them.





On to Tahoe. IT WAS GORGEOUS!!! Simply said...it was perfect. It was a sunny 68 and breezy in the shade. The kids played at the arcade in the casinos and believed us when we said they were kid sized slot machines. We had a great dinner and then headed to the beach where we had spotted a playground. Then walked around town after dark with goose bumps on our arms from the chill in the air...GOOSE BUMPS!! It was fabulous! The next day we woke up late, took the kids miniature golfing, back to the arcade, and then we drove around North Shore. The kids feel asleep so we pulled over on the side of the road and I read while Rich just relaxed. We finally headed home and were greeted with the valley heat of 93 at 7:30pm. Needless to say our goose bumps were gone.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all. I had a great Mother's Day. We woke up early and went to breakfast. There is a restaurant in town that serves crab eggs benedict and we were there at 7:45am to beat the rush. Frankly, I am never up that early on the weekends because it is usually my turn to sleep in, but I woke up early and we were off.
After breakfast, we came back and relaxed. I went and had a pedicure(happiness) and went to the bookstore(double-happiness). The lady at the bookstore is suspicious of me. I can feel it. She doesn't think it is possible that I can go through 10-12 books in a week to two weeks time and she just watches me while I am in there. Also, I think she hates to take my buy-backs, but I don't care...I am merely working their system. Believe me, it is wise to keep me as a customer. I have a crack addiction to my books and they are my cheap supplier.
We capped off our evening by taking my father-in-law out to dinner for his birthday. All in all a very nice day.

My gift will arrive on Tuesday...a limited addition Bon Jovi tee shirt :-) and a picture of my tulips is below.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Matt vs. Rich

I am getting ready for work this morning, way behind as usual, and I hear Matt and Rich going at it in the kitchen. I stop doing my make-up and sneak out of my bathroom to hear the discussion. Here it goes...

Matt: I want cereal.
Rich: Okay, which kind?
Matt: Um, this kind.
Rich: No, it has too much sugar in it.
Matt: But Dad, I want this.
Rich: No, I said it has too much sugar in it.
Matt: But, but, but, it says right here it has seven different vitamins in it.
Rich: (dead silence....)


When I walked out, Matt was eating a "Pop-Tart". Now, I know what your thinking. I had the same thought....What in the world does Rich think the number one ingredient in a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pop-Tart is...FRUIT??? Nope, that's right...SUGAR! So, kudos to Rich for winning the argument and making his point about too much sugar in the cereal. Even bigger Kudos to Matt for winning the sugar war no matter what.

By the way, is anyone else wondering how cookie dough could possibly be a flavor for a Pop Tart?